I posted this on a Nebraska message board which is mostly devoted to music. We get into politics a little bit and someone asked me what they can do aside from reading articles in magazines and getting angry.
My post is below the fold. Tell me what you think.
I can hook you up with lots of different ways of volunteering, for good organizations, campaigns and whatnot.
It's easy to do. It's actually a lot of fun. And you do get the feeling that whatever it was you did, you've done something.
You have to think long term, most of the time, but there are some ways to get short term rewards. It's like doing your scales on a guitar. If you keep doing them, you play better and can string those scales into tunes, Etc. But doing scales can be fun too. Likewise, learning new riffs.
A letter to the editor is always fun, I swear. But you have to do it right. You should always be reasonable. Keep it to one single issue. Always nail your point early. If you keep it short and sweet, they will want to print it. If you use a particular story that's been in the paper or a letter as your starting point you better your odds. you may want to write something that calls for impeachment. And that's not a bad idea. But you can do something else that will be more likely to get published. Remember, that the letter page editor is still thinking timeliness is important. They also insist it have some relation to their paper. A letter to the editor may not seem like much, but lots of people read the letters. And you get to help move the debate. Plus, all your friends will say, "great letter in the paper." That's fun and it does good.
Also, it's fun to call your senator, seriously. I'm not kidding. Make sure you are calm and polite. The person you are talking to likely has no idea what you're talking about. They live in a small bubble and whatever issue you are talking about, in the terms you are using, is going to seem foreign to them. They really don't know what you're talking about. But they have to listen, and they do. Use whatever commonality you might have with them. And don't forget, you live in Nebraska. You care about Nebraska. And the so-called Nebraska values that Pete Ricketts talks about in his tedious TV ads are not what you think are Nebraska values.
Another important point to remember is that most people vote based on the opinions of their friends that they perceive as knowing what's going on. Ads don't change minds, people do. Remember, that you have the facts on your side. Your friends, if you care about this sort of thing, will look towards you for advice. If you have the information, which is easy to find, you can sway them with very little effort. If you seem knowledgable they will trust you. This might be the most important action you can take. It may not, at first, seem like much. But the thing is, most people don't spend much time thinking about these things. They don't do the research and want someone to help them out. People will end up asking you who to vote for, for every race on the ballot. Spend a little bit of time to learn and you can give them good advice.
If I had a car and I needed to get it repaired I would likely ask a friend an opinion for a good garage. It's the same thing. Most people realize the car that is the current government is broken down. Refer them to a better mechanic. Your friends will thank you for the advice. I'm serious about this. They will thank you.
If you have a little bit of extra cash, give it to someone or some organization. This always helps. Always. Every dollar counts.
Ignore people who tell you that elections don't matter. They do. They matter even more if you get involved. If all of the people who refuse to vote because it's "not punk rock" voted, this country would be better off. I can show you the numbers if you want.
The most important thing is to refuse to be defeatist. If you do that, the terrorists win. I'm serious.
Update:
I forgot that I also posted this:
People agree with you. Lots of them. You have allies and friends in every city in the state and the country.